Brain Stew
by WHENICOMEAROUND
Summary: Sequel to Emenius Sleepus. Just reposted. New stuff!


**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** After re-reading the original Brain Stew, I decided it was the stupidest possible idea for a sequel to Emenius Sleepus. Plus, there's too much to be said about Kate and Jack to bother writing the same thing twice.

So, here it goes. The new and improved Brain Stew.

(Hey, that was pretty good. Short. For me, I mean.)

**WAIT, WAIT, ONE MORE THING:** I used one of my favorite Sawyer quotes near the end. Though it was used in a skater moment on the show, it's still funny.

**ALSO:** This is NOT a skater story AT ALL. The bits with Sawyer and Kate are just filler stuff so we can see what Kate's up to. I make it very clear that Kate doesn't like Sawyer, as we all know she doesn't.

Come on. You know me. JATE IS FATE!

**DISCLAIMER:** Don't own Lost.

**SUMMARY:** Sequel to Emenius Sleepus. Jate is fate.

**QUOTE:** "Oh, stop acting like such a noun." -Mrs. Frey

**-BRAIN STEW-  
-BY WHENICOMEAROUND-  
-CHAPTER ONE-**

Jack watched Kate bustle around the cave for about a minute before she realized he was staring.

"What?" she said.

"Nothing." said Jack. He stood up. "Locke in the hatch?"

"The Metal Inferno, you mean? Yeah." said Kate, smiling and crossing her arms.

"The Metal Inferno?" Jack queried.

"Hurley's words. Not mine." Kate met Jack's eyes and they both smiled. A pang of emotion shot through Jack's heart for some inexplicable reason that probably had to do with his dream.

A tense silence fell over them as Kate pulled her sweater tightly around herself.

"You cold?" said Jack.

"Yeah," said Kate. "a bit."

Jack found it odd that anyone could be cold in ninety degree-plus heat. "Are you sick?" he asked her.

"No, I don't think so. I went swimming, that's all. The water was cold." Kate assured him, but Jack knew her too well. She didn't want anyone to worry about her. That was Kate. And while it was sweet, he didn't want to see her sick.

Nevertheless, Jack gave her a Well-If-You're-Sure look and said, "Okay. I'll see you later. I've gotta do some stuff."

"'Kay." said Kate. "Bye."

"Find me if you feel any worse, all right?"

"I'm not sick, Jack." Kate reminded him.

"I know," said Jack, smiling and clearly not believing her. "just find me if you need me."

Kate smiled back. "'Kay."

Once Jack was gone, Kate sat down against the wall of the cave. Ordinarily, she would have followed Jack, eager for some adventure, but she really was feeling a bit sick so she wanted to stay in today.

Kate's stomach growled. She suddenly realized how hungry she was. She cocked her head towards the exit, wondering if she should go pick some fruit. Her stomach growled again and, ignoring her wishes to stay in and do nothing for once, she stood, picked up her backpack, and headed towards the jungle.

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Kate picked a banana off a tree and peeled it open. Much to her gurgling stomach's delight, she ate it in two bites. Still ravenous, she ripped another off the tree and ate it equally as fast. But before she could start a third, rustling behind her made her stop.

Kate turned around. Rustling leaves again. She picked up a rock off the ground, ready to strike.

She tossed it past a tree and it hit something very solid.

"OW!"

Sawyer emerged from behind the tree, rubbing his head. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What are you doing?" Kate retorted.

"I was gonna pick some fruit, but I guess some people on this island don't want me around." he massaged his head some more.

Kate smiled at his overdrama. She peeled her third banana and wolfed it down.

"Easy, Freckles," said Sawyer as she ripped another banana off the tree. "save some for everyone else."

Kate neglected to mention that there were hundreds of bananas around, more than enough for everyone on the island. She peeled her fourth banana.

"I'm hungry." she said simply as she nearly swallowed it whole.

"I can see that." said Sawyer as Kate peeled yet another banana. "Slow down. You're gonna make yourself sick."

"Shove it, Sawyer." she said thickly, breaking a banana in half and opening her mouth, about the put it in, but suddenly she stopped.

Kate turned around and threw up.

"I _told_ you, Freckles." Sawyer said.

"Shut up, Sawyer." Kate gagged, and she threw up again.

Kate stood up and wiped her mouth. Sawyer was staring at her.

"What?"

"You okay?" he said.

"I'm fine." said Kate, finding it slightly gross that he cared. She knew he liked her, but she truly never felt anything for him. When he wasn't being a know-it-all, he was being a know-nothing-at-all and declaring her criminal past in front of forty other people. Who wanted to be with a guy like that, even if he was hot?

Besides, she was slightly in love with Jack.

"You just tossed your breakfast. How are you fine?"

"It's nothing, really. I ate too fast, that's all." Kate insisted.

"I don't know... maybe you should take it easy for a day."

"What are you, my father? I can take care of myself!" Kate said indignantly.

"Oh, of course you can! 'I don't need protecting! I can take care of myself! Me Kate, me throw rock!' "

"Shut up, Sawyer." said Kate again, growing tired of elementary arguments the two of them constantly had. Kate was convinced that he was her younger brother in a past life.

Sawyer gave her the Well-If-You're-Sure look that she'd gotten from Jack earlier. "Okay."

Kate pulled her sweater around her tighter. "I gotta go." she mumbled.

Sawyer watched her leave, wondering if he should follow her or not. Deciding not, he ripped another banana from the tree, in doing so, knocking three more out and landing on his head.

"Son of a bitch." he said, rubbing his sore head.


End file.
